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Casings in black

Hello, at the INR I noticed a beautifull Commander Special with blackened engine casings, see picture attached. The coating was of great quality. I am not familiar with rotaries. Is it standard? I take it the casings get rather hot. Would anybody know what kind of coating was used? Thanks, Bennie.

Polyester powder coating is good for both water and air-cooled engines ; the challenge with air-cooled is getting the original coating 100% off.

I've completed two air-cooled engines, one in silver and one in black, and have another in progress. The first was done bya well-known company, was excellent, but very expensive. The second used a paint-stripping company to remove most of the coating, then shot-blast to clean fully, and then powder coating satin black by a local company. The result was just as good for less than half the total cost.

The current set are being stripped by soda-blasting, which the supplier says willleave a clean casting ready for powder-coating; I await the result of that with interest !

I would have included a photograph of the assembled engine in black, but my file sizes are much too large for this site.

I am the owner of that commander special, the cases were stripped with nitromores paint stripper then shot blasted to give the new coating a key, it was then powder coated but give it a gloss the casings were removed from the oven before being fully cured and then covered in a clear lacquer before being put back in the oven to allow the laquer to bond into the powder coat. that was the primary and gearbox casings, the water pump however was a slighly different tale as richard had the water pump powder coated in satin black when he refurbished it for me. Having built the bike up I wanted the same finish on the water pump so the guy that did the paint work on the tank etc put me onto a two pack clear laquer in an aerosol that will withstand the heat andpetrol etc. You mix the two pack by hitting a big plunger on the bottom of the aerosol which bursts an internal seal then you shake as per normal but it must be used in 24 hours. I have thrown the aerosol away and cannot remember it's name but if you want to go that way please answer this blog to that effect and I will find out and let you know.

I am the owner of that commander special, the cases were stripped with nitromores paint stripper then shot blasted to give the new coating a key, it was then powder coated but give it a gloss the casings were removed from the oven before being fully cured and then covered in a clear lacquer before being put back in the oven to allow the laquer to bond into the powder coat. that was the primary and gearbox casings, the water pump however was a slighly different tale as richard had the water pump powder coated in satin black when he refurbished it for me. Having built the bike up I wanted the same finish on the water pump so the guy that did the paint work on the tank etc put me onto a two pack clear laquer in an aerosol that will withstand the heat andpetrol etc. You mix the two pack by hitting a big plunger on the bottom of the aerosol which bursts an internal seal then you shake as per normal but it must be used in 24 hours. I have thrown the aerosol away and cannot remember it's name but if you want to go that way please answer this blog to that effect and I will find out and let you know.

Dave Green.

Hello Dave, thanks for your response. I cannot exactly remember what the water pump looked like.Did you succeed in having it look like the casings? If it has the same "deep" quality look, is must be good. Have not heard of this 2-pack system before, am certainly interested in it. I guess one has to do find a professional (and reliable!) company for the powder coating. The advantage of the aerosol would be that I could perhaps do it myself.

Like Ian, I use Camcoat. The black coating they offer is called TLTD. I have not used it on exhausts but have it on various cases, barrel and head. At the lower temperatures it seems to stay on fine and in addition resists ethanolic fuel rather better than high temperature paints*. It is a viable alternative to either stove enamelling or powder coating.

You can reduce the cost by stripping the items to be coated before taking them in. A lot of the cost with a frame I have just had done was removal of a very tenacious rubbery primer.

Ask for Nick - he understands bikes and uses the process on his own machines.

* RIP heat resistant black paint PJ1. It seems that the legislators got to this type of product and a European Directive on solvent content made it no longer legal here.